Must True Christians Mature

Mike, New Christians are still babes in Christ, they havent grown in Gods ways. It all takes time to be more mature.Christians will be totally mature when they receive new bodies in the resurrection. BUT, we Christians have been made COMPLETE in Christ upon faith in HIM.We are forgiven,redeemed, made spiritually alive and stand in the righteousness of Christ totally accepted.

to duane'If we trust in HIM HE WILL DO THE WORKING through us. Abide in HIM so HE can produce fruit through you. HE produces the fruit, we bear the fruit through faith in HIM.'

so what is a mature christian. again your answer is too vague & that is the problem with christianity - vagueness. i have seen christians who think they are mature but all they do is practice hypocrisy - pointing the sins of others yet they do not practice what they condemn others for.

Jesus said, come unto ME and I will give you REST. If we trust in HIM HE WILL DO THE WORKING through us. Abide in HIM so HE can produce fruit through you. HE produces the fruit, we bear the fruit through faith in HIM.

**I would like to add that, spiritual maturity is something that happens within a believer. In some,it takes a lot of trials and tribulations to refine them. How they weather the storms is a result of growth, or lack there of.**

Yes,and if we look at the parable of the soils, we see that many turn away due to trials and persecution. This category is not classified as saved,or fruit bearing.

Also the things of this world choke out the Word..and only through the WORD can we mature.It's the Word of God that lives and abides FOREVER. The WORD lives inside every true believer.

SO in fact, GOD uses trials and tribulations to mature us.

He who has begun a good work will continue ......Anything else is SELF effort.

I would like to add that, spiritual maturity is something that happens within a believer. In some, it takes a lot of trials and tribulations to refine them. How they weather the storms is a result of growth, or lack there of.

Instead of looking for the maturity in others, we should be working on our own growth, feeding on the Word, and serving Him with our gifts and talents.

But . . . it says, "as He is, so are we in this world." (in 1 John 4:17) So, I'd say this is a guarantee that anyone who becomes truly saved WILL become "as He is" . . . in THIS world. So, if I'm NOT obviously becoming how Jesus is . . . or someone else isn't >

eve wrote, "each person grows at their own Spiritual understanding"

donna8365 shares how Paul dealt with immaturity by feeding ones the *milk* of the word

ursine shares, "pray for him to gain some maturity, and pray for yourself for possibly judging him"

True Christians are True Christians not because of what they do, have done or what they have learned. True Christians are True Christians because of what has been done for them by Jesus Christ.Maturity has nothing to do with being a True Christian. No one is mature at the very point of receiving Christ. We are born as babes. We learn and then become mature.We will never be "more Christian" than we all ready are.Lack of maturity in an older Christian is an indicator of a deeper problem.

Thank you Robert...for your wonderful insight into Christianity and the maturation of the real Christian.Wear the ARMOR,stay in the race,pray without ceasing and PRAISE HIM often.Thank Him for the FAITH He has given you..thank Him for everything.Most of all, thank Him for dying for a world He thought was worthy of His blood.Keep drawing nearer to Him and He will draw near to you! God bless you Robert.

maturity also points to being able to decern situations & issues not just quoting verses. blind obedience in the name of obeying the word of god is not mature. if a blind person follows another blind person, they will end up stumbling

If you are saved you are saved. But I believe if you are saved God with convict you to grow in your faith. You will have the desire to grow into a more mature Christian. I gae my life to God as a childand was baptized at the age of 17 but can honestly say until the past year I was a sitting Christian. I see God in everthing in my life, everday! I am more than a standing Chritian, I am Jumping and Dancing for the Lord! God will poke you with conviction to grow!!!

A MATURE CHRISTIAN.A person who radiates the fruits of the Spirit.Love and Compassion.Patience,Meekness,Humility.Mercy,Charity,i.e.the attributes of Godliness.Hopes all things,endures all things.A living sacrifice! Willing to suffer martydom for Yeshua and the Kingdom of God. Ask yourself...are you a MATURE CHRISTIAN?

Here are some traits of a mature Christian:1) They easily forgive. Religion says "I forgive you." Relationship says: "I walk in a state of forgiveness towards everyone."2) The fruit of the Spirit of God is developed and maintained in a person's life.3) Speaking the truth in love, not judgement.4)Believing in the Trinity even if you don't understand it. We are called, "Believers" not "understanders." The understanding comes after you choose to believe.5)Knowing who you are in Christ Jesus yet maintaining a spirit of humility.6)Having a heart after God. Hungering and thirsting for the truth of God's word and for righteousness.Moderator-can I post TWO times today? Please?

Interesting how this question has matured as it has been re-worded from when it was first posted.

Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. Let not him that eateth despise him who eateth not, and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: For God hath received him. Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up for God is able to make him stand.-Romans 14:1-4

Believers that are carnal and are not knowledgable of the scriptures are called babes - I Cor. 3:1-3. Jesus desires that no believer remain a babe in Christ. Paul wrote two prayers in his letter to the Ephesian Saints, the first one is in Eph. 1:16-23 and the second one is in Eph. 3:14-21. Both of these prayers encourage spiritual growth and that growth comes by eating spiritual food, the Word of God. The first prayer must be fulfilled before the second prayer can be accomplished in a believers life. Once you become a believer, God wants you to grow, but it is possible to be saved and remain a babe forever. There are 30,40, 50 years old babes in Christ sitting in church pews all over the world.

I wouldn't go as far to say someone who lacks spiritual maturity isn't saved (for only God can make that sort of call). However, I might be a bit suspicious of one who claims to follow Christ WITHOUT visible evidence that he/she is indeed a follower (seeing "maturity"). James 2 is explicit in saying true faith is more than a mere acknowledgement and is evidenced by what a person does.

Also, remember: The Holy Spirit works in us to conform us to Christ's image.

People who 'profess' Christianity will receive ETERNAL LIFE in the city of God (the ultimate goal) IF (and only if) they also have a peaceful and just (Godly) spirit (it is the GUARANTEE of our inheritance)...

Luke 3:6"and all flesh shall see the salvation of God."

2 Corinthians 5:5 "PREPARED us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee".

Ephesians 1:14 "which is the guarantee of our inheritance UNTIL we acquire possession of it".

Yes. We can be saved and still lack maturity. There is a such thing as a stunted Christian. If a baby is born and is not growing and thriving, it is still a baby but one that is stunted and not growing(retarded). The immature christian misses out on many of God's blessings due to their immaturity and unwillingness to grow and change. God does not make us do anything.We are to make ourselves available to Him so he can change and mould us according to His will.

John 6:39 this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

We are saved by faith in Christ not by a level of spiritual maturity.

Our different levels of spiritual maturity or to say "stewardship", only dictates how much of the Lord's glory He is able to entrust with-in us (Matt.25:14-30).

Although we are saved, we still need to learn to become better stewards of the Lord and this means growing spiritually because we can still find ourselves here on the earth cast into darkness (in darkness but still saved) like the unprofitable servant, who was an unprofitable steward because he was spiritually immature.

Christians should and must mature in the Lord and as human beings. If you are a "true"Christian then you love God, Jesus, his Word and aspire daily to grow in Him and desire to know Him intimately. Maturing would be part of this daily process. With challenges in life, the Christian learns experientially to lean more and more on the Lord and give Him the situations over in prayer. Thats part of the growth and maturation process. A person is either "hot" or "cold". If a person who calls themselves a Christian and doesn't do anything, they are luke warm and Jesus said what he would do, "spew them out of his mouth", (Revelation).

The answer to this question is YES!!! Person cannot be more saved than saved and conversely a person cannot be more lost than lost.Are from the Scriptures here is the statement that confirms the above statement. John 6:37"All that the Father giveth me shall come to me, and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." So you can plainly see all who come to him are accepted and saved. Now the matter of spiritual maturity has to do with growth and growth comes about my study and prayer.

"Are people who lack spiritual maturity saved?" Only Father knows.Salvation is a matter of grace, through faith, and both are gifts. Maturity is that to which the saved aspire to, that we may "grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our LORD and Saviour, Jesus [The] Christ. Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. To Him [be the] glory, both now and for ever. Amen." Ref. 2 Peter 3:18>Eph. 4:13

Spiritual maturity is a manifestation of the Lords working within a christian, and one must be saved to develop TRUE spiritual maturity. However, there are countless immature christians, many newly saved, many have been saved for some time. all saved are babes for a time. Many mature at different rates, and in differnt ways.I believe Paul speaks of some who ought to be taking in the meat of the word, but instead, require milk, indicating that these are saved people that needed correction/guidance to grow in christ.

John 6:39 this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

We are saved by faith in Christ not by a level of spiritual maturity.

Our different levels of spiritual maturity or to say "stewardship", only dictates how much of the Lord's glory He is able to entrust with-in us (Matt.25:14-30).

Although we are saved, we still need to learn to become better stewards of the Lord and this means growing spiritually because we can still find ourselves here on the earth cast into darkness (in darkness but still saved) like the unprofitable servant, who was an unprofitable steward because he was spiritually immature.

When we first get Born Again we are Babes in Christ, lacking spiritual maturity. As we grow we become more matured. I would say that people who lack spiritual maturity is saved. Anyone who has accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour is saved.

Obviously, a new Christian is not going to have the spiritual maturity of one who has been learning and growing for 50 years. Let's be real. Just because he is a baby Christian does not block him from heaven--otherwise, all would be bound for hell. On the other hand, if someone who has been a Christian for 20 or 50 years is showing a lack of spiritual maturity, then it is time for you to get on your knees and pray--pray for him to gain some maturity, and pray for yourself for possibly judging him.

Yes but like the Apostle Paul said, you were immature and I had to feed you milk instead of meat. Some folks make Jesus Savior of their life, but not Lord. Big difference.

What is spiritual maturity? Is it living in His Glory? Is it laying hands on the sick and they recover? Is it Holiness? Is it knowing who you are in Christ Jesus? I think we have to define spiritual maturity because I have friends who swear up and down they are "mature" Christians and yet they can't see the truth that it's them keeping themselves in the wilderness and not God doing it.

Only God can answer if someone is truly saved or not. Not mankind. However to answer your question ,each person grows at their own Spiritual understanding.What you might think they lack,God however might think they are still growing, so yes it is possible to still be in Gods family and not be as spiritually strong as others.